For a small number of Auburn homeowners with severe service-connected disabilities, their city property tax bill could disappear beginning next year.
City Council voted unanimously Thursday to opt into a new state-authorized exemption providing a 100% city property tax exemption on the primary residence of qualifying veterans who are permanently and totally disabled because of their military service.
The exemption will take effect with the Feb. 1, 2027 taxable status date.
Auburn’s assessor’s office identified 10 properties that would currently qualify, representing about $1.72 million in assessed value.
Because Auburn still needs to collect its overall tax levy, removing those properties from the taxable roll shifts a small amount of the burden to other property owners.
City staff estimates the change will add about 0.76 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to the remaining tax base. For the average Auburn home, the estimated effect is $1.45.
Several residents spoke in support of the exemption before council acted.
Mike Colgrove thanked council for putting the issue to a vote. Nick Polenti urged members to support the proposal, saying veterans with 100% service-connected disabilities had earned the relief.
Dale Bush, who identified himself as a disabled veteran, also spoke in favor of the measure and acknowledged the competing budget pressures facing the city.
Councilor Craig Diego called the proposal an easy decision for him, pointing to the relatively small number of qualifying properties and limited impact on other taxpayers.
Mayor James Giannettino reminded residents that Auburn’s action applies only to city taxes.
Each other taxing jurisdiction must separately decide whether to opt into the state exemption, meaning approval by the city doesn’t automatically eliminate county, school or other property taxes.
The exemption also won’t be automatic for veterans who may qualify.
City officials said New York state is expected to release an application in October. Eligible veterans will still need to apply through Auburn’s assessor’s office even if the city already has documentation related to another veterans exemption.
To qualify under the legislation approved by council, the property must be the veteran’s primary residence and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs must classify the veteran’s service-connected disability as permanent and total.
The assessor’s office encouraged veterans who believe they may be eligible to contact the city once applications become available.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.